east of havana

"EAST OF HAVANA is the real deal.”—The New York Times As part of the 2008-2009 Latin American Film Series, the Florida International University Cuban Research Institute, University of Miami Latin American Studies Program, and UM School of Communication present EAST OF HAVANA for one night only. This documentary is a blunt, unflinching close-up on the lives of three young rappers compelled to address their generation’s future from the confines of a Cuban ghetto. Soandry, Magyori, and Mikki are the defacto leaders of Cuba’s rebellious underground hip hop movement. Possessing the undeniable talent and charisma of pop icons, these fearless performers push self-expression to its sharpest, riskiest, and most triumphant point. Desson Thomson of THE WASHINGTON POST says, “You can appreciate rap’s deep significance to a Cuban musician named Soandry, who, in East of Havana, declares, 'Hip-hop means struggle. It means having a determined attitude towards life. Rebellion. The fight to make things better. The detoxification of the mind and body. To me, it means freedom.' Coming from someone living under Fidel Castro's regime, these words are anything but casual.” “The film says something quite interesting, which is that as much as Cuban citizens may fear the power of the government, the government fears its people and their freedom of expression exponentially more. Wim Wenders The Buena Vista Social Club showed us one side of Cuban music and culture, but East of Havana finally reveals the voice of contemporary Cuban youth and the rise of a very different new generation." —Jeffrey Wells, SXSW Blog